Enrollment Assistance

Thank you for visiting our web page. Below, we will discuss the typical ways students enroll in UWM Chemistry & Biochemistry courses and some common enrollment scenarios involving class permissions and messages in PAWS. Please read carefully and follow the action steps indicated.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Requisites Not Met

This message is typically seen when attempting to enroll in a course that requires prerequisites to be met prior to enrollment and the student has either not met the prerequisites, or may be a transfer student, and the ‘system’ has not yet recognized the earned transfer credits. This message may also be seen by students who have already taken the course 2 times and are trying to repeat the course for a 3rd attempt, please see the “Second Repeat (3rd Attempt)” section.

If you are unable to enroll in a course and receive the following message in PAWS “Requisites not met” please complete the following steps:

  1. Email a copy of your unofficial transcripts to the course instructor, and cc chem-ugc@uwm.edu, requesting permission to enroll in the course.
  2. Include a brief statement as to how you have met the prerequisites.
  3. If the course instructor approves, the Chemistry office will apply ‘Requisites Not Met’ permission in PAWS for you to enroll.

(Please note that you may have to remove the course from your PAWS cart and add it back in, this allows the ‘permission’ to apply to your account.)

Second Repeat (3rd Attempt)

Students trying to enroll in a course for a 3rd time may see the “Requisites Not Met” error message in PAWS. Students are allowed 3 attempts to complete a Chemistry course at UWM. This error message and process outlined below is to make the student, the student’s college/advisor, and course instructor aware of this the second repeat restriction. Please allow a couple weeks for this process. 

In addition to UWM Campus student support, the Chemistry Department also has free Tutoring and Supplemental Instruction available to all students. We strongly encourage all students, to take full advantage of our free programs.

Students will need to complete the following steps to be enrolled in a Chemistry course from the third time:

  1. Complete the Registration Change Form, commonly called the Add/Drop form.
  2. Complete the Chemistry Department Second Repeat form.
  3. Obtain a copy of your unofficial transcripts through PAWS.
  4. Email all three documents, listed in steps 1-3, to the course instructor, and cc chem-ugc@uwm.edu, requesting permission to enroll in the course. Include a brief statement describing the ways you will approach the course differently and how you plan to seek assistance.
  5. If the course instructor approves, the Chemistry office will contact the student’s college for approval. A note will be added to the student’s transcript stating they are permitted to enroll in the requested course for a third time.
  6. If the college approves, the Chemistry office will send the completed forms to the Registrar’s office.
  7. If the Registrar’s Office approves, the chemistry department will notify the student that they are enrolled in the course.

Instructor Consent Required

This message is typically seen by students attempting to enroll in a course that requires Instructor Consent. NOTE: Undergraduate Research CHEM 691/692 applications must be completed prior to the Instructors Consent.

If you are unable to enroll in a course and receive the following message in PAWS “Instructor Consent Required…” please complete the following steps:

  1. Email the course instructor, and cc chem-ugc@uwm.edu, requesting permission to enroll.
  2. If the course instructor approves, the Chemistry office will apply ‘Instructor Consent’ permission in PAWS for you to enroll.

(Please note that you may have to remove the course from your PAWS cart and add it back in, this allows the ‘permission’ to apply to your account.)

Transfer Students

Transfer students, please see the “Requisites Not Met” section above.

Career Restriction

This message is typically seen by student attempting to enroll in a course that requires Instructor Consent.

If you are unable to enroll in a course and receive the following message in PAWS “Career Restriction” please complete the following steps:

  1. Talk to your Advisor about your course choices, if your advisor approves of your request then continue to step 2.
  2. Email the course instructor, and cc chem-ugc@uwm.edu, requesting permission to enroll. Please include your advisor’s approval.
  3. If the course instructor approves, the Chemistry office will apply ‘Career Restriction’ permission in PAWS for you to enroll.

(Please note that you may have to remove the course from your PAWS cart and add it back in, this allows the ‘permission’ to apply to your account.)

  Helpful Resources